Banjo



S. F. CETTA.

BANIO.

APPLxcATloN FILED DEc.8,1919.

1,337,041 Patented Apr. 13, 1920L1 UNITED srA'rEs PATENT oEEroE.

AS'JIIPHEN F. CETTA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BANJO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

VPatented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed December 8, 1919. Serial No. 343,236.

banjos, and it has more particular referenceto an attachment for a banjo which is designed to produce a greater volume and clearer and prolonged tones.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel attachment for the above mentioned purpose which is exceedingly simple in construction, the construction being such that it may be readily applied to banjos of ordinary construction and will serve to increase the value and tone qualities.

Other objects and advantages of the invene tion will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed 'to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a plan view of an attachment constructed in accordance with my inven tion.

Fig. 2 is a section on the plane of the line 2-2 of 'F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of a banjo equipped with my improved attachment.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 indicates the body or shell of a banjo of ordinary construction.- A vibratory head .2 of parchment or -other suitable material 1s stretched across the body and is held in position thereon by means ofthe' metal ring 3. As is well known the head 2 is tightened by means of a plurality of brackets 4 wh1ch consist of hooks which engage the ring 3 at one end and have their opposite ends screw threaded and passed through the lugs 5 carried by the body, the ring being drawn down when the nuts 6 are rotated in the,

pro er direction. j

y attachment consists of an annular metallic ring 7 which is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the upper edge of the body l and a portion of which is designed to bear on the under surface of the head 2 and elevate it at its center to the pof sition shown in Fig. 8. This ring 'T is made of a single piece of metal and is bent between its edges to form a hyperbolic curve, one edge of which forms a vertical flange 8, and the other edge of which is' rolled to form a bead 9, upon which the bead 2 rests. The portion between the bead 9 and the flange 8 forms a'channel, and this portion is provided with a plurality of holes or openings 10, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more specifically described. My attachment may be secured upon the body l in any suitable manner,V however, I form a notch or groove entirely around the upper edge of the body and seat the flange 8 in this groove, and as the ring 3 bears tightly against the outer surface of the body, it will be seen that the flange 8 will be held tightly between this ring and the body. Ihile I have shown and described the flange 8 as being seated in a groove formed in the body, I desire it to be understood that formation of such a groove is unnecessary, as the flange 8 may also be held in position without this groove, as is obvious.

By means of this attachment, or ring, to a banjo, the tone quality of the. instrument will be greatly increased and the volume will likewise be increased, due principally to quicker vibrations of the head caused by raising it above the extreme upper edge of the body of the banjo. The openings 10 also serve to increase the efficiency of the attachment in that they permit the escaping musical vibrations or sounds to passthrough them and against the under surface of the portion of the head between the bead 9, and the body l. Ordinarily this portion is inclined to be somewhat dead, that is, it does not vibrate freely, and by'permitting the musical waves to contact with it, it is vibrated slightly, or at least more than it would if the sound waves were not permitted to come into contact with it. With such an attachment, a greater tension upon the head may be had, and the greater the tension of the head the quicker the vibration will be, consequently, the sound waves will be greatly prolonged and more brilliant. My attachment is also designed to prevent., as much as possible, the

' head from having too much contact in any portion thereof. For this reason I provide a bead 9, which because of its roundness prethis reason it is essential that the surfaces against Which the head bears should be decreased as much as possible in order to insure that the head will have free vibration. My attachment is constructed to overcome the above circumstancesas much as possible.

I claim:

A banjo comprising a body, an annular metallic ring bent between its edges to form a hyperbolic curve, one edge thereof form- 15 ing a vertical flange adapted to rest on the upper edge of the body and the other edge being rolled to form a bead, the portion between the bead and flange forming a channel and being provided with a plurality of 20 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 25 my hand.

STEPHEN F. CETTA. 

